Cheater
by Wolfish Oro
Summary: Three very short stories on how Jareth, conceivably, might twist words to suit his meaning. All unrelated except for the theme...
1. Chapter 1

Cheater

* * *

Scowling down at a howling child, the boy—ten, perhaps eleven—dramatically announced, "I wish the Goblins would take my sister away, _right now!_" Then he paused, holding his breath.

A minute passed… then two. Toby Williams tapped his foot, crossed his arms, and waited for the Goblins to arrive and, more importantly, his three-month-old sister's squalls to depart. When nothing happened, his brow furrowed; upon realizing what happened, Toby whirled around to race down the hall to his room.

Rapping his mirror three times, the reflection warped and rippled. Even before it settled, Toby called out, "My younger sister, Jareth!"

The mirror smoothed again, revealing the Goblin King's throne room, aforementioned King resting comfortably on his throne and wrestling with a protesting Sarah Williams. Grinning, Jareth drawled, "What's said, Toby, is said. Good night…" The mirror darkened of its own volition as Toby uttered an oath he'd picked up from some of the rowdier Goblins.

Two rooms away, the baby quieted, giggling happily.

* * *

Oro: I'm not dead! I don't own Labyrinth! The next one will be up in two minutes! EXCLAMATION POINTS!


	2. Chapter 2

Cheater II

* * *

Curled up in a window seat, listening absently to the downpour outside, Sarah lingered over the last chapter of a decidedly good fairytale romance. She sighed as she noted the dwindling pages; she wiggled her toes, snug inside her fuzzy socks, and balanced the hassle of getting dressed and running to the bookstore against the satisfaction of starting the next novel in the series. The flannel pajama pants rubbed against her leg as if to remind her how she was already comfortable lounging around at home.

At last, she reached the end of the book. Closing it, she tapped the book against her knee while she gazed dreamily at the deluge beyond her window. Sarah glanced back down at the book, caressing its cover. "I wish life were like novels like you," she told the book.

"Granted, though _I_ wish you'd stop talking to inanimate objects." Sarah jumped as Jareth scooped her up, socks, book, flannel pjs and all. Torn between scrambling down and hanging on tighter—his grip seemed perilously loose, considering—Sarah could only blink up at him for a few minutes, long enough for the Goblin King to whisk her away with his usual flair.

"But I—"

Laughing softly, Jareth cut short her argument. "You'd have an awful time having a fairytale love affair Above, Sarah; down here, the 'fairytale' is almost guaranteed."

* * *

Oro: One more to go... should be packing for a wedding, but I'm procrastinating; I'm very good at procrastinating. I should make you guys wait for the last one... Nope. Posting in a mo'. What do y'all think about a possible sequel to Dreamer?


	3. Chapter 3

Cheater III

* * *

"You, Sarah Williams, are an ungrateful brat, and I wish the Goblins would come and take you away _immediately_."

Sarah sputtered even as gleeful Goblins snatched her away to the Castle. "That's cheating, Jareth! You're the Goblin King, you can't wish people away—"

Jareth leaned back in his throne, propping up his chin with one hand, toying with a crystal with the other. "I should think, as King, I can do whatever I want. This does pose an interesting query, though… who'll run the Labyrinth for you, Sarah?" He watched her flush scarlet before paling to an ill-looking parchment shade as the connotations of his question sank in.

With a flourish, the Goblin King tossed a crystal into the midst of his subjects. The Goblins tussled, all trying to claim the crystal for their own; after a few confusing moments, the melee resided and a small, wiry Goblin with an eye-patch and a lion tail slunk out of the brawl, clutching his prize.

"Ah, Calkamere, how kind of you to enlist your services. Sarah, meet your runner." Jareth's satisfied grin widened as Sarah stared at her would-be savior.

"I'm doomed," she groaned.

* * *

Oro: I might be persuaded to continue this one, eventually. TTFN, see you later...

Quill: She still doesn't own it.

Oro: I wish you'd shut up, Quill, but somehow I doubt even the Labyrinth could manage that.


End file.
